Superhydrophobic transparent glass (stg) thin film articles

ABSTRACT

An article having a nanostructured surface and a method of making the same are described. The article can include a substrate and a nanostructured layer bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material and the nanostructured features can be sufficiently small that the nanostructured layer is optically transparent. A surface of the nanostructured features can be coated with a continuous hydrophobic coating. The method can include providing a substrate; depositing a film on the substrate; decomposing the film to form a decomposed film; and etching the decomposed film to form the nanostructured layer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Application Serial No. 12/901,072, “Superoleophilic Particles and Coatings and Methods of Making the Same,” filed Oct. 8, 2010, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to articles with optically transparent, nanostructured hydrophobic or super-hydrophobic surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are abundant uses for superhydrophobic materials, including self-cleaning surfaces, anti-fouling surfaces and anti-corrosion surfaces. Approaches for producing surfaces exhibiting these properties include producing microtextured superhydrophobic surfaces or chemically active antimicrobial surfaces. Despite the impressive properties achieved by such known surfaces, the properties are not durable and the surfaces need to be replaced or otherwise maintained frequently. Thus, research to identify alternative approaches has continued.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention includes an article having a nanostructured surface. The article can include a substrate and a nanostructured layer bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can be directly bonded to the substrate, i.e., without any adhesive or intermediary layers. The nanostructured layer can be atomically bonded to the substrate. The nanostructured layer can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material. The nanostructured layer can include an oil pinned in a plurality of nanopores formed by a plurality of nanostructured features.

The nanostructured features can be sufficiently small so that the nanostructured layer is optically transparent. The width, length and height of each of said plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features ranges from 1 to 500 nm.

A continuous hydrophobic coating can be disposed on the plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features. The continuous hydrophobic coating can include a self-assembled monolayer.

The plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features provide an anti-reflective surface. The plurality of spaced apart nanostructures features can provide an effective refractive index gradient such that the effective refractive index increases monotonically towards the substrate.

A method of forming the article with a nanostructured surface layer is also described. The method can include providing a substrate; depositing a film on the substrate; decomposing the film to form a decomposed film; and etching the decomposed film to form the nanostructured layer.

The decomposition step can be performed under a non-oxidizing atmosphere. The decomposing step can include heating the film to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time to produce a nanoscale spinodal decomposition.

The method can also include applying a continuous hydrophobic coating to the plurality of spaced apart nanostrucutured features, pinning an oil within nanopores formed by the plurality of nanostructured features, or both.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A fuller understanding of the present invention and the features and benefits thereof will be obtained upon review of the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-section of an article with a nanostructured layer.

FIGS. 2A-D are schematic cross-sections of a method of making an article with a nanostructures layer.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section of a nanostructured layer with oil pinned within the nanopores of the nanostructured layers.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-section showing oil pinned within a nanopore.

FIG. 5 is an SEM image of nanostructured features as described herein (1 micron scale).

FIG. 6 is an SEM image of nanostructured features as described herein (2 micron scale).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A substrate including a superhydrophobic transparent glass thin film and method of making the same are described. The glass thin film is applied in such a manner that it is possible to deposit thin films on a variety of substrates. The glass thin film can be superhydrophobic, self-cleaning, anti-reflective across the visible light spectrum, the IR spectrum, or both, while blocking, i.e., reflecting or scattering, UV radiation.

As shown in the Figures, the articles 10 with nanostructures surfaces described herein can include a substrate 12 and a nanostructured layer 14 attached to the substrate 12. The nanostructured layer 14 can include a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features 16 comprising a contiguous, protrusive material 18 and the nanostructured features 16 can be sufficiently small that the nanostructured layer 14 is optically transparent. The nanostructured layer 14 can include a plurality of nanopores 20 defined by the contiguous, protrusive material 18, e.g., the nanostructured features 16.

As used herein, “optically transparent” refers to a material or layer that transmits rays of visible light in such a way that the human eye may see through the glass distinctly. One definition of optically transparent is a maximum of 50% attenuation at a wavelength of 550 nm (green light) for a material or layer, e.g., a layer 1 μm thick. Another definition can be based on the Strehl Ratio, which ranges from 0 to 1, with 1 being a perfectly transparent material. Exemplary optically transparent materials can have a Strehl Ratio≧0.5, or a Strehl Ratio≧0.6, or a Strehl Ratio≧0.7, or a Strehl Ratio≧0.8, or a Strehl Ratio≧0.9, or a Strehl Ratio≧0.95, or a Strehl Ratio≧0.975, or a Strehl Ratio≧0.99.

As used herein, the term “nanopores” refers to pores with a major diameter ranging from 1 to 750 nm. Nanopores can also refer to pores having a major diameter ranging from 5 to 500 nm, or 10 to 400 nm, or any combination thereof, e.g., 400 to 750 nm. The nanostructured layer described herein can have a nanopore size ranging from 10 nm to about 10 μm, or 100 nm to 8 μm, or 500 nm to 6 μm, or 1 to 5 μm, or any combination thereof, e.g., 500 nm to 5 μm.

The nanostructures features formed from a contiguous, protrusive material described herein can be formed by differentially etching of spinodally decomposed materials as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,258,731, “Composite, Nanostructured, Super-Hydrophobic Material”, issued to D'Urso et al., on Aug. 21, 2007; U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0286556, “Super-Hydrophobic Water Repellant Powder,” published Nov. 20, 2008; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/901,072, “Superoleophilic Particles and Coatings and Methods of Making the Same,” (hereinafter “Differential Etching References”) filed Oct. 8, 2010, the entireties of which are incorporated by reference herein.

As used herein, nanostructured feature has its literal meaning and includes, but is not limited to, nanoscale protrusions and nanoscale branched networks. As used herein, “nanoscale branched network” refers to a branched network where the individual branches are less than 1 μm. In some examples, the branches of the nanoscale branched networks described herein can be 750 nm or less in length, or 600 nm or less in length, or 500 nm or less in length. A branch can be defined by the space (i) between adjacent junctions 22, (ii) between a junction 22 and a terminal end 24 of the network, i.e., a nanoscale protrusion, or (iii) both. As shown in FIG. 3, the length (L) of a branch can be measured as the distance (i) between adjacent junctions 22, (ii) between a junction 22 and a terminal end 24 of the network, i.e., a nanoscale protrusion, or (iii) both. Though not a nanoscale branched network, staghorn coral (A. cervicornis) would be considered an exemplary branched network. In addition, FIGS. 5 & 6 show an SEM image of an exemplary nanoscale branched network formed by differential etching of a specially treated spinodally decomposed glass substrate.

The width, length and height of each of the plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features 16 can independently range from 1 to 500 nm, or from 2 to 400, or from 3 to 300 nm, or from 4 to 250 nm, or from 5 to 200 nm, or any combination of these ranges, e.g., 1 to 200 nm. The width, length and height of each of the plurality of spaced apart nanostructures features can be at least 5 nm, at least 7 nm, at least 10 nm, or at least 20 nm.

The nanostructured layer 14 can also include an etching residue disposed on the contiguous, protrusive material. As will be understood, the etching residue can result from the differential etching process utilized to remove the boron-rich phase of a spinodally decomposed borosilicate layer 26, which is an intermediate product of the spinodal decomposition described in the Differential Etching References referenced above. Thus, the etching residue can include remnants of the recessive contiguous material that was interpenetrating with the protruding material in the spinodally decomposed film 26 intermediary. The etching residue can be contiguous or non-contiguous.

The formation of the nanostructured layer 14 can include an intermediate spinodally decomposed glass film 26 formed from a film 28 selected from the group that includes, but is not limited to, a sodium borosilicate glass and a soda lime glass. An exemplary sodium borosilicate glass can include 65.9 wt-% SiO₂, 26.3 wt-% B₂O₃ and 7.8 wt-% Na₂O. The soda lime glass can be any soda lime glass that can be spinodally decomposed and etched to form the nanostructured layer described herein. The protrusive material (e.g., silica-rich phase), the recessive material (e.g., alkali and/or borate-rich phase) or both can be glass.

The contiguous, protrusive material can be directly bonded to the substrate 12. In some exemplary articles, the contiguous, protrusive material can be atomically, i.e., covalently, bonded to the substrate 12. For example, where the substrate 12 is a silica-rich glass and the nanostructured layer 14 is formed from differential etching of a spinodally decomposed sodium borosilicate glass 26, the silica-rich contiguous, protrusive phase of the nanostructured layer 14 can be covalently bonded to the substrate 12. In fact, in some cases, the composition of the substrate 12 and the contiguous, protrusive phase of the nanostructured layer 14 can be the same. This can result in a structure where there is no clear interfacial delineation between the nanostructured layer 14 and the substrate 12.

In some other examples, the contiguous, protrusive material of the nanostructured layer 14 can be directly bonded to the surface 30 of the substrate 12 by a means other than covalent bonding. In other words, the bond between the substrate 12 and the contiguous, protrusive material 18 can be formed directly without reliance on an adhesive or interfacial material to join the contiguous, protrusive material 18 to the surface 30 of the substrate 12. Such a process could involve interfacial atomic or molecular interdiffusion due to high impact velocities or temperature of deposited species. For example, during physical vapor deposition, target source species arrive at the substrate with high kinetic energy and with various angles of incidence. Because of this, highly dense films with exceptional adherence and coverage can be obtained, even on irregular surfaces. This direct bonding can result from the method of deposition of the precursor to the nanostructured layer, e.g., a physical or chemical vapor deposition technique.

The plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features 16 can cause the nanostructured layer 14 to exhibit anti-reflective properties. In some examples, the plurality of spaced apart nanostructures features can produce an effective refractive index gradient, wherein the effective refractive index gradient increases monotonically towards the surface of the substrate.

Optical glass ordinarily reflects about 4% of incident visible light. The nanostructured layers 14 described herein can provide anti-reflective properties in addition to hydrophobic and transparent properties. As used herein, anti-reflective refers to <1% reflection, and preferably <0.1% for normally incident visible light (e.g., wavelengths from approximately 380-750 nm).

The nanostructured layer 14 described herein in general will have two “interfaces,” i.e., an air-layer interface 32 and a layer-substrate interface 34, and a thickness (t). If the nanostructured layer has optically small features (<200 nm features) that are homogeneously distributed throughout the layer, then interfaces 32, 34 will reflect a certain amount of light. If the air-layer reflection 32 returns to the surface 30 such that it is of equal amplitude and out of phase with the layer-substrate interface reflection 34, the two reflections completely cancel (destructive interference) and the nanostructured layer 14 will be antireflective for that wavelength. The thickness (t) of the nanostructured layer 14 determines the reflected phase relationships while the optical indexes of refraction determine the reflective amplitudes.

In order to exhibit anti-reflective properties, the length (L) of the nanostructured features 16 is preferably about ¼ of the wavelength (λ/4) of the relevant light, such as about 140 nm for green light, which has a wavelength range of approximately 495-570 nm. The nanostructured layer 14 can have an effective optical index of refraction and its thickness (t) can be adjusted by the etch duration to obtain the correct thickness to produce an antireflective surface. For example, for a nanostructured layer 14 formed from sodium borosilicate glass, the refractive index to provide anti-reflectivity should be on the order of [(nf_(air)+nf_(glass))/(nf_(glsass)−nf_(air))]^(1/2)=about 1.22 for a nf_(glass)=1.5.

Alternately, the use of diffusion limited differential etching of the spinodally decomposed nanostructured layer can be used to produce a variable porosity graded index of refraction layer 14. Finally, an anti-reflective surface can be created by applying a coating that provides a graded index of refraction. The nanostructured layer 14 will generally have an effective reflective index gradient.

In some examples, with increasing duration of etching there will be little or no etching of the decomposed layer 26 at the layer-substrate interface 34, while preferably, the porosity of the nanostructures layer 14 increases greatly approaching the layer-air interface 32. In fact, the porosity and resulting layer index of refraction would approach that of air (˜1.01) near the layer-air interface 32. This reflective index gradient can provide broad spectrum anti-reflective properties. As used herein, “broad-spectrum antireflective properties” refers to anti-reflectivity across a wavelength range of at least 150 nm of the visible and/or infrared light spectrum, at least 200 nm of the visible and/or infrared light spectrum, at least 250 nm of the visible and/or infrared light spectrum, at least 300 nm of the visible and/or infrared light spectrum, or at least 350 nm of the visible and/or infrared light spectrum. Based on the range described above, it will be understood that the visible and infrared light spectrum includes a range of 1120 nm, i.e., from 380 to 1500 nm.

Relying on the same principles, the nanostructured layer 14 can be tailored to exhibit UV blocking properties. As used herein, “UV radiation” refers to radiation with a wavelength ranging from 10-400 nm. For example, the nanostructured layer can block or reflect at least 80% of UV radiation, at least 85% of UV radiation, at least 90% of UV radiation, at least 95% of UV radiation, at least 97.5% of UV radiation, at least 99% of UV radiation, or at least 99.5% of UV radiation.

The nanostructured layer 14 can have a thickness (t) of 2000 nm or less, 1000 nm or less, or 500 nm or less. The nanostructured layer can have a thickness of at least 1 nm, at least 5 nm, at least 10 nm, at least 15 nm, or at least 20 nm.

The nanostructured layer 14 itself can be superhydrophobic when the surface 38 of the nanostructured features 16 are hydrophobic or are made hydrophobic, e.g., through application of a hydrophobic coating. This can be achieved by applying a fluorinated silane solution to the nanostructured layer 14 in order to create a hydrophobic monolayer on the surface 38 of the nanostructured layer 14. Accordingly, one method of making the nanostructured layer 14 superhydrophobic would be to apply a continuous hydrophobic coating 36 on a surface 38 of the plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features 16. As used herein, “superhydrophobic” refers to materials that exhibit contact angle with water of greater than 140°, greater than 150°, greater than 160°, or even greater than 170°.

The continuous hydrophobic coating 36 can be a self-assembled monolayer (SAM). As described in the referenced patent applications, the nanostructured layer 14 will be superhydrophobic only after a hydrophobic coating layer 36 is applied thereto. Prior to application of the hydrophobic coating 36, the uncoated nanostructured layer will generally be hydrophilic. The hydrophobic coating layer 36 can be a perfluorinated organic material, a self-assembled monolayer, or both. Methods and materials for applying the hydrophobic coating, whether as a self-assembled monolayer or not, are fully described in the U.S. patent applications referenced hereinabove.

As shown schematically in FIG. 4, the hydrophobic coating 36 can be continuously coated over the spaced apart nanostructured features 16. The coating 36 can be formed as a self-assembled monolayer. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are coatings consisting of a single layer of molecules on a surface, such as a surface 38 of the nanostructured features 16. In a SAM, the molecules are arranged in a manner where a head group is directed toward or adhered to the surface, generally by the formation of at least one covalent bond, and a tail group is directed to the air interface to provide desired surface properties, such as hydrophobicity. As the hydrophobic tail group has the lower surface energy it dominates the air-surface interface providing a continuous surface of the tail groups.

Although SAM methods are described, it will be understood that alternate surface treatment techniques can be used. Additional exemplary surface treatment techniques include, but are not limited to, SAM; physical vapor deposition, e.g., sputtering, pulsed laser deposition, e-beam co-evaporation, and molecular beam epitaxy; chemical vapor deposition; and alternate chemical solution techniques.

SAMs useful in the instant invention can be prepared by adding a melt or solution of the desired SAM precursor onto the nanostructured layer 14 where a sufficient concentration of SAM precursor is present to produce a continuous conformal monolayer coating 36. After the hydrophobic SAM is formed and fixed to the surface 38 of the nanostructured layer 14, any excess precursor can be removed as a volatile or by washing. In this manner the SAM-air interface can be primarily or exclusively dominated by the hydrophobic moiety.

One example of a SAM precursor that can be useful for the compositions and methods described herein is tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydroctyltriclorosilane. In some instances, this molecule undergoes condensation with the silanol groups of the nanostructured layer, which releases HCl and covalently bonds the tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydroctylsilyls group to the silanols at the surface of the porous particle. The tridecafluorohexyl moiety of the tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydroctylsilyl groups attached to the surface of the nanostructured layer provides a monomolecular layer that has a hydrophobicity similar to polytetrafluoroethylene. Thus, such SAMs make it possible to produce a nanostructured layer 14 having hydrophobic surfaces while retaining the desired nanostructured morphology that produces the desired superhydrophobic properties.

A non-exclusive list of exemplary SAM precursors that can be used for various embodiments of the invention is:

X_(y)(CH₃)_((3-y))SiLR

where y=1 to 3; X is Cl, Br, I, H, HO, R′HN, R′₂N, imidizolo, R′C(O)N(H), R′C(O)N(R″), R′O, F₃CC(O)N(H), F₃CC(O)N(CH₃), or F₃S(O)₂O, where R′ is a straight or branched chain hydrocarbon of 1 to 4 carbons and R″ is methyl or ethyl; L, a linking group, is CH₂CH₂, CH₂CH₂CH₂, CH₂CH₂O, CH₂CH₂CH₂O, CH₂CH₂C(O), CH₂CH₂CH₂C(O), CH₂CH₂OCH₂, CH₂CH₂CH₂OCH₂; and R is (CF₂)_(n)CF₃ or (CF(CF₃)OCF₂)_(n)CF₂CF₃, where n is 0 to 24. Preferred SAM precursors have y=3 and are commonly referred to as silane coupling agents. These SAM precursors can attach to multiple OH groups on the surface and can link together with the consumption of water, either residual on the surface, formed by condensation with the surface, or added before, during or after the deposition of the SAM precursor. All SAM precursors yield a most thermodynamically stable structure where the hydrophobic moiety of the molecule is extended from the surface and establish normal conformational populations which permit the hydrophobic moiety of the SAM to dominate the air interface. In general, the hydrophobicity of the SAM surface increases with the value of n for the hydrophobic moiety, although in most cases sufficiently high hydrophobic properties are achieved when n is about 4 or greater where the SAM air interface is dominated by the hydrophobic moiety. The precursor can be a single molecule or a mixture of molecules with different values of n for the perfluorinated moiety. When the precursor is a mixture of molecules it is preferable that the molecular weight distribution is narrow, typically a Poisson distribution or a more narrow distribution.

The SAM precursor can have a non-fluorinated hydrophobic moiety as long as the SAM precursor readily conforms to the nanostructured features 16 of the nanostructured layer 14 and exhibits a sufficiently low surface energy to exhibit the desired hydrophobic properties. Although fluorinated SAM precursors may be preferred, in some embodiments of the invention silicones and hydrocarbon equivalents for the R groups of the fluorinated SAM precursors above can be used. Additional details regarding SAM precursors and methodologies can be found in the patent applications that have been incorporated herein by reference.

That article 10 can also, optionally, include an oil 40 pinned in the plurality of nanopores 20 formed by the plurality of nanostructured features 16. The oil 40 pinned by and/or within the nanopores 20 can be a non-nutritional oil. As used herein, the term “non-nutritional” is used to refer to oils that are not consumed as a nutrient source by microbes, e.g., bacteria, fungus, etc., or other living organisms. Exemplary non-nutritional oils include, but are not limited to polysiloxanes.

As used herein, “pinned” refers to being held in place by surface tension forces, van der Waal forces (e.g., suction), or combinations of both. For example, the interactions that prevent a liquid from being dispensed from a laboratory pipette until the plunger is depressed could be referred to as pinning.

As used herein, “oil” is intended to refer to a non-polar fluid that is a stable, non-volatile, liquid at room temperature, e.g., 23-28° C. The oils used herein should be incompressible and have no solubility or only trace solubility in water, e.g., a solubility of 0.01 g/l or 0.001 g/l or less. Exemplary oils include non-volatile linear and branched alkanes, alkenes and alkynes, esters of linear and branched alkanes, alkenes and alkynes; polysiloxanes, and combinations thereof.

The oil 40 can be pinned in all or substantially all of the nanopores and/or surface nanopores of the nanostructured layer 14. For example, oil 40 can be pinned in at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 97.5%, or at least 99% of the nanopores and/or surface nanopores of the nanostructured layer 14 described herein. The oil 40 pinned within the nanostructured layer 14 can be a contiguous oil phase. Alternately, the superoleophilic layer 14 described herein can include an inner air phase with an oil phase at the air-nanostructured layer interface 32.

In order to maintain the superoleophilic properties for an extended duration, it can be desirable that the oil 40 pinned in the nanostructured layer 14 does not evaporate when the article 10 is exposed to the use environment. For example, the oil 40 can be an oil 40 that does not evaporate at ambient environmental conditions. An exemplary oil 40 can have a boiling point of at least 120° C., or at least 135° C., or at least 150° C. or at least 175° C.

As used herein, “ambient environmental conditions” refer generally to naturally occurring terrestrial or aquatic conditions to which superoleophilic materials may be exposed. For example, submerged in lakes, rivers and oceans around the world, and adhered to manmade structures around the world. Exemplary ambient environmental conditions include (i) a temperature range from −40° C. to 45° C. at a pressure of one atmosphere, and (ii) standard temperature and pressure.

As described above, the nanostructured layer 14 can be covalently or otherwise strongly bonded to the substrate 12. Such bonds, especially, covalent bonds, are very strong and eliminate cracks that can act to concentrate stresses. In particular, this is a significant improvement over conventional adhesive bonding and allows the flexibility to bond a nanostructured layer to a compositionally different substrate without the use of an adhesive. This is yet another manner in which the durability of the nanostructured layer described herein is enhanced.

A method of forming an article 10 with a nanostructured surface 14 is also described. As shown in FIGS. 2A-D, the method can include providing a substrate 12 (FIG. 2A); depositing a film 28 on the substrate 12 (FIG. 2B); decomposing the film 28 to form a decomposed film 26 (FIG. 2C); and etching the decomposed film 26 to form the nanostructured layer 14 (FIG. 2D). The decomposed film 26 can be a spinodally decomposed film.

In the depositing step, the film 28 can be deposited on the substrate 12 using an in-situ thin film deposition process selected from the group that includes, but is not limited to, pulsed laser ablation, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), metallorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), sputtering and e-beam co-evaporation. Alternately, the film 28 can be deposited on the substrate 12 using an ex-situ thin film deposition process selected from the group that includes, but is not limited to chemical solution processes, and deposition of a halogen compound for an ex situ film process, followed by a heat treatment. The depositing step can occur at a temperature between 15 and 800° C.

In some exemplary methods, the decomposing step can be part of the depositing step, i.e., the film 28 may be deposited in decomposed state 26. For example, by depositing the film 28 at a temperature sufficient to induce decomposition, e.g., spinodal decomposition, during the depositing step. In other exemplary methods, the decomposing step can be a separate step, such as a heating step. The decomposing step can include heating the deposited film 28 to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time to produce a nanoscale spinodal decomposition. As used herein, “nanoscale spinodal decomposition” refers to spinodal decomposition where the protrusive and recessive interpenetrating networks are of dimensions that, upon differential etching, can result in the nanostructured layers described herein.

The decomposition step can be performed under a non-oxidizing or inert atmosphere. Exemplary inert or non-oxidizing atmospheres include Ar, H₂, N₂, and combinations thereof (e.g., Ar & H₂).

Exemplary decomposed films 26 include a contiguous, protrusive phase and a contiguous, recessive phase that are differentially etchable (i.e. have different etch rates), when subjected to one or more etchants and have an interconnected structure, such as a spinodal structure. The as-deposited film 28 may need to be heat treated in order to phase separate properly. The decomposed film 26 can then be differentially etched to remove most or all of the recessive phase (such as borate-rich phase in the case of borosilicate glass), and to sharpen and thin the protrusive phase to form the plurality of nanostructured features 16.

Although etching is generally described herein as being solution based, etching can also be carried out by vapor etchants. The remaining surface features 16 after etching are characterized by general nanosize dimensions (width, length, and spacing) in a range of about 4 nm to no more than 500 nm, preferably <200 nm, such as in a range of about 50 nm to no more than about 100 nm.

Nanostructured feature 16 dimensions may vary as a function of feature length if a wet etch process is used to form the nanostructured features 16. In this case, the feature dimensions at the air-layer interface 32 of the nanostructured layer 14 tends to be smallest, with the feature size increasing monotonically towards the layer-substrate interface 34, which is inherently exposed to the etchant for a shorter period of time. An exemplary etchant is hydrogen fluoride, such as a 0.05 to 1 mol-% aqueous hydrogen fluoride solution or a 0.1 to 0.5 mol-% aqueous hydrogen fluoride solution.

The dimensions of the nanostructured features 16 are dependent on a number of factors, such as composition, heat treating duration and temperature. The nanostructured feature 16 dimensions, including height of the features, are generally determined by the etch rate and etch time selected. Compared to the processing described in the Differential Etching References cited herein, shorter heating and etch times are generally utilized to form features having dimensions <200 nm.

Smaller feature sizes (<200 nm) make the nanostructured layer 14 more optically transparent. The processing parameters are heavily dependent on the specific phase separating material used. For example, some glasses will phase separate and be spinodal from the initial glass deposition (no additional heat treating required). Other glasses require many days of specific heat treating to form a phase separated spinodal structure. This dependence on the processing parameters is applicable for other parameters as well (e.g., etchant type, etchant concentration and etch time). The degree of transparency can often be typically less than optical quality, such as a Strehl ratio<0.5, due to the imposed surface roughness (or porosity) of the features that make the surface superhydrophobic.

The method can also include applying a continuous hydrophobic coating 36 to a surface 38 of the plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features 16. The continuous hydrophobic coating 36 can be a self-assembled monolayer as described above.

The etching step can be continued until a width, length and height of each of the plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features 16 ranges from 1 to 500 nm, or can be continued until the nanostructured features 16 are any other size described herein.

The decomposed film 26 can include a first material and a second material different from the first material. The first material can be contiguous and the second material can be contiguous, and the first and second materials can form an interpenetrating structure. The first material and the second material can have differential susceptibility to an etchant, e.g., 0.5 molar HF. For example, the first material can be a protrusive phase, i.e., less susceptible to the etchant, and the second material can be a recessive phase, i.e., more susceptible to the etchant.

The first and second materials can be independently selected from the group consisting of glass, metal, ceramic, polymer, resin, and combinations thereof. The first material can be a first glass and the second material can be a second glass different from the first glass.

In some exemplary methods, the recessive phase is completely etched, while in others exemplary methods portions of the recessive phase remain. Accordingly, the nanostructured layer 14 can include an etching residue disposed on the contiguous, protrusive material, where the etching residue is from a recessive contiguous material that was interpenetrating with the protruding material in the decomposed film 26.

The method can include pinning an oil 40 within nanopores 20 formed (or defined) by the plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features 16. The pinning step can include contacting an oil pinning solution with the nanopores 20 of the nanostructured layer 14. The oil pinning solution can include the oil 40, a surfactant, or both. Exemplary surfactants include volatile alcohols, e.g., methanol, ethanol, etc.; acetone; volatile linear and branched alkanes, alkenes and alkynes, e.g., hexane, heptanes and octane; and combinations thereof.

The oil 40 being pinned should be miscible in the surfactant and the surfactant should have a viscosity that is lower than that of the oil. Because high viscosity fluids, such as some of the relevant non-volatile oils, cannot penetrate into nanopores 20, a critical feature of the surfactants is reduction of the effective viscosity of the oil pinning solution to a range that can penetrate the nanopores 20. Once the oil pinning solution penetrates the nanopores 20, the surfactant can volatize leaving the oil 40 pined within the nanopores 20.

In general, the ratio of oil-to-surfactant should be such that the viscosity of the oil pinning solution is sufficiently low to penetrate into the nanopores of the nanostructured layer 14. The oil can be 0.01 to 100 wt-% of the oil pinning solution, 0.01 to 20 wt-% of the oil pinning solution, 0.05 to 10 wt-% of the oil pinning solution or 0.1-5 wt-% of the oil pinning solution. Where the surfactant is present, the surfactant can be 99.99 to 80 wt-% of the oil pinning solution, or 99.95 to 90 wt-% of the oil pinning solution, or 99.99 to 95 wt-% of the oil pinning solution. Additional features of the exemplary materials with oil 40 pinned in the nanopores 20 of nanostructured layer 14 are provided in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/901,072, “Superoleophilic Particles and Coatings and Methods of Making the Same,” filed Oct. 8, 2010, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention can be used to make a variety of articles. For example, articles can include cover plates for optical systems, windows, labware and optical detectors.

EXAMPLES

In one example, a sodium borosilicate material was sputtered onto a silicon substrate in an inert atmosphere (Ar—H₂). The composition of the sodium borosilibate material was 65.9 wt-% SiO₂, 26.3 wt-% B₂O₃, and 7.8 wt-% Na₂O. The sputtering conditions were as follows:

Base Pressure (Background pressure of the system) ˜1-3×10⁻⁷ Torr.

Sputter Pressure=5×10⁻³ Torr

Sputter Temperature (Substrate Temperature)=Room temperature (˜25° C.)

Sputter Power=100 Watt (but not limited to this value)

Sputter Gas=Ar

The sodium borosilicate-silicon composite was heat treated from 30 minutes at a temperature of ˜700° C. in order to spinodally decompose the sodium borosilicate layer. The surface was then etched for 1 minute using 0.5 mol-% hydrogen fluoride. The resulting material was optically clear and had a layer thickness of approximately 300 nm, feature sizes of ˜75 nm, and good superhydrophobicity (contact angle >170 degrees). The surface showed antireflective behavior.

While there has been shown and described what are at present considered the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be prepared therein without departing from the scope of the inventions defined by the appended claims. 

1. A method of forming an article with a nanostructured surface layer, comprising: providing a substrate; depositing a film on said substrate; decomposing said film to form a decomposed film; and etching said decomposed film to form a nanostructured layer comprising a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material, wherein said nanostructured features are sufficiently small that said nanostructured layer is optically transparent.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said nanostructured features form a plurality of nanopores and at least some of said nanopores provide a flow through porosity from a top to a bottom of said nanostructured layer.
 3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: applying a continuous hydrophobic coating to said plurality of spaced apart nanostrucutured features.
 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said continuous hydrophobic coating is a self-assembled monolayer.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a width, length and height of each of said plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features ranges from 1 to 500 nm.
 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said decomposition step is performed under a non-oxidizing atmosphere.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said decomposed film comprises a first material and a second material different from said first material, wherein said first material is contiguous and said second material is contiguous, said first and second material forming an interpenetrating structure.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said nanostructured layer further comprises an etching residue disposed on said contiguous, protrusive material, said etching residue from a recessive contiguous material interpenetrating with said protruding material.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said nanostructured layer comprises nanopores formed by said plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features, and said method further comprises: pinning an oil within said nanopores.
 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein said decomposing step comprises heating said film to a sufficient temperature for a sufficient time to produce a nanoscale spinodal decomposition.
 11. The method according to claim 1, wherein a composition of said substrate is different from said film and said decomposed film.
 12. An article having a nanostructured surface layer, comprising: a substrate; and a nanostructured layer bonded to said substrate, wherein said nanostructured layer comprises a plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features comprising a contiguous, protrusive material, wherein said nanostructured features are sufficiently small that said nanostructured layer is optically transparent.
 13. The article according to claim 12, further comprising: a continuous hydrophobic coating disposed on said plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features.
 14. The article according to claim 13, wherein said continuous hydrophobic coating comprises a self-assembled monolayer.
 15. The article according to claim 13, further comprising an oil pinned in a plurality of nanopores formed by a said plurality of nanostructured features.
 16. The article according to claim 12, wherein a width, length and height of each of said plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features ranges from 1 to 500 nm.
 17. The article according to claim 12, wherein said nanostructured layer is atomically bonded to said substrate.
 18. The article according to claim 12, wherein said nanostructured layer is chemically bonded directly to said substrate.
 19. The article according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of spaced apart nanostructured features provide an anti-reflective surface.
 20. The article according to claim 19, wherein said plurality of spaced apart nanostructures features provide an effective refractive index gradient, wherein said effective refractive index gradient increases monotonically towards said substrate. 